The Dallas daily herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1887, 1887-05-13
SAN JACiN TO.

ful victory
There occurs this week the anniversary OF
one OF the lnost interesting and cventful bat
ties in American history, though one but little
remembered 1t is an anniversary that recalls
the struggle OF races Of which the southern
portion OF this continent was the scene from
the days Of Christopher Columbus down TO
our own time. Spanish settlements were
made In Texas as early rs 1922 these, how
ever, were merely trading establishments
Texas was formerly claimed by both Spain and
the United States, and became the subject of
long negotiation between the two govern
nenis %nich resulted in II REIMBURSEMENT on
tie part Of the United States TO the territory
in question. President Jackson made an at
tempt TO purchase Texas from Mexico but
failed. The proposition Of Jackson to pur-
chase was opposed by many of our citizens
who viewed further extension Of territory as
dangerous to the integrity of the Union
Texas had rather been curse than blessing
to any of its numerous claimants being first
wrcsted from the natives by Spain and re-
gained by the Mexicans.
! In the year 1921 Stephen +. Austin, a native
Of the state of Connecticut appeared on the
Brazos river In Texas to fulfill and carry out a
! contract OF his father, who had obtained
grant for large body of land which he was
to COLOMBO. Mr. Austin planted his first colo
ny on the BraZos river and being man OF I'M
common fidelity and enterprise, his inter
course with the Mexican government being
marked with a rigid compliance with his en-
gagement for n number of years he had the
/ ~ of tbn
eminent, from whom he could receive any
favors, and in return received the unlimited
confidence Of his colonists, and Texas was last
becoming valuable domain. The colonlsts,
with the intelligence, energy, and thrift so
characteristic of their race, were making rapid
advances In wealth and comfort, but crisis
arrived, and war with all its fury and horrors
! commenced.
! San Antonio and Goliad were in the posses
| sion of the Texas troops, and large Mexican
! force had been ordered 10 operate against
them On the 2lst of February, 1896, the Mexl-
can Gems. Scssma, Filasoa, and Cos were or
| dered to lead one division Of the Mexican army
| on San Antonio, Gems. inca and GarOry
| second division commanded by Santa Ana In
person, was to move as circumstances might
| require.
The first division of the Mexican army APP
| Feared before San Antonio on the 2!nd OF
February, and Of the progress of the Siege of
| the Alamo Col. Trayers' last letter was on the
Bird of March. lie says; 81 am besieged by
| thousands of MeXcans, and with l4O men !
have defended the Alamo for ten days against
| a force of 5000, aud unless get relief | will
perish in its defense Col. Travers and his
| gallant band did perish, as they fell to man.
! Their lives, however, were dearly sold, and the
victory gained over them was little better than
a defeat
Santa Ana, flushed with his ill-gotten sue
cess, believed that Texas was In his grasp,
and with his remaining force advanced upon
| Huston's small force on the Colorado river
! Huston fell back to the Brazos river, and from
| that stream retreatcd to the San Jacinto river.
lie was unwilling to hazard battle so long
as hopes were entertained OF gaining any ad-
vantage by retreating. He Intended retreat
ing TO Nacodoches, where he knew of rein
forcements, and IL was not until after loud
complaints from every quarter he decided to
stake his reputation aud the fortunes OF Texas
on one decisive effort.
lie was commanding n most determined
set Of men, who yearned to retalate for the
shameful butchery of their friends at the
Alamo and Goliad. An hour before sunset on
the 2lst of April, 1896, Huston with his 1S3
men all told, attacked Santa Ana with u his
l, 500 men, advancing with the war cry IRE
member the Alamoh The Texans advanced,
receiving the Mexlcans' fire, TO within point
|
than two hours a vanqulshed foe lay bleeding
on the battle-plain. A few unkilled men
were victors over nearly double their number
of well-skilled soldiers, who were surfeited
with treasure and human blood, and their
proud and naughty chief prisoner, begging
for quarter and mercy, both OF which were
foreign to his own heart and his own mode OF
warfare. Santa Ana, the captured, was
heartess demon The world IN all its round
OF brutality has no other sight so bloody and
brutal as the slaughter OF Col. Fannin's band
at Goliad. Some faint excuse might be given
Tor The snvagery AZ the Alamo while .he
blood was hot, but the savagery at Gollad has
all the horrors OF cold calculating, pitiless
butchery.
The victory at San Jacinto Is truly one Of
the most splendid of modern or ancient times,
and well deserves TO be ranked among the
decisive battles Of the world. Its results are
wonderful II established the independence
Of Texas; the establishing of It into a republic;
the annexation OF II to the American union; a
war with Mexico, the consequence OF which
was the acquisition OF New Mexico California,
Utah, Nevada, Colorado, and Wyoming; the
acquisition Of the greatest gold and silver
fields In the world; the extension OF the
boundary of the United States from the
Atlantic TO the Pacific; the securing OF ports
on the Pacific coast invaluable to defense and
commerce with China and the East Indies;
securing over our ground from ocean to ocean
the means Of railway connection, and over
which several great railroads have been built
great cont inental railroads-besides railroads
leading through Texas and the acquired terri
tory to the City OF Mexico The map OF the
union changed, and with II the commerce Of
the world.
Such are the results OF the victory won at
San Jacinto ffty-one years ago. For all time
TO come will the 21st OF April, 1896, be regard
ed as the birthday OF Texan independence, the
day on which Texas was delivered from Next
can bondage. In the magnitude OF Its results
the battle OF San Jacinto is without parallel